New Delhi: The Congress, TMC and Shiv Sena on Thursday slammed the “gag order” on usage of certain words in Parliament, saying all terms used by opposition parties to describe the Modi dispensation will now to be considered “unparliamentary”.
According to a new booklet by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, use of terms like ‘jumlajeevi’, ‘baal buddhi’, ‘Covid spreader’ and ‘Snoopgate’ and even commonly used words like ‘ashamed’, ‘abused, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘incompetent’ will henceforth be considered unparliamentary in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi termed the compilation as the “New Dictionary for New India”.
Stating this on Twitter, he shared the adjective of word “Unparliamentary” and said, “Words used in discussion and debates which correctly describe the PM’s handling of the government, now banned from being spoken.”
“Example of an unparliamentary sentence: ‘Jumlajeevi Tanashah shed Crocodile Tears when his lies and incompetence were exposed’,” he also said.
Slamming the move, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “All words used by the Opposition to describe the reality of Modi Sarkar now to be considered ‘unparliamentary’. What next Vishguru”.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Twitter, “The Government may have banned the use of following in Parliament: Jumlajeevi, Corrupt, Drama, Hypocrisy. But they are answerable to the people of India on: LPG and Price Rise, Unemployment, Agneepath.”
“…and we are going to strongly take it up in the upcoming session of Parliament,” Kharge also said.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said, “Session begins in a few days. GAG ORDER ISSUED ON MPs.”
“Now, we will not be allowed to use these basic words while delivering a speech in #Parliament : Ashamed. Abused. Betrayed. Corrupt. Hypocrisy. Incompetent. I will use all these words. Suspend me. Fighting for democracy,” the TMC leader said.
Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also hit out at the government, saying the meme to speak only “Wah Modi ji, Wah” seems to be turning true.
“‘What to do, what to speak, only Wah Modi ji, Wah’, this popular meme now seems to be turning true,” she said in a tweet in Hindi while sharing the news report about unparliamentary words.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asked what is the intention of the government.
“What is the intention of the government. If one does corruption, then do not say corrupt; call corruption a ‘masterstroke’. After throwing ‘jumlas’ (rhetoric) like ‘2 crore jobs’, ‘doubling farmers’ income’, they should be termed as ‘thank you’,” Vadra said in a tweet in Hindi.
“PS: Who used the word ‘Andolanjeevi’ for the country’s ‘annadatas’ in Parliament,” she also asked in an apparent swipe at the prime minister.
Sharing a copy of the news report on the booklet, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said, “Saheb knows his qualities very well”.
The Congress said in a tweet in Hindi, “Who will be afraid of ‘Jumlajeevi’ – who has given jumlas. Who will be afraid of the word ‘Jaichand’ – who has betrayed the country. These words are not being banned in Parliament, the fear of PM Modi is coming out.”
Another Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said on Twitter, “Latest List of ‘banned words’ in Parliament is BJP Govt desperate attempt to control criticism & hard hitting truth.”
“BJP Government wants Parliament to turn into ‘yes man’ chamber and ‘cheerleading stadium’ rather than house of accountability and answerability,” he charged.
Gujarat Congress’ working president Jignesh Mevani tweeted, “Ashamed, abused, betrayed, corrupt, drama, hypocrisy, incompetent jumlajeevi, baal buddhi, Covid spreader, dohra charitra, nikamma, nautanki, dhindora peetna, behri sarkar are among the many words that will now be called unparliamentary. What’s happening in the country?”
Amid the opposition outrage, government sources, however, said the list does not contain new suggestions, but merely a compilation of words already expunged in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha or state legislatures.
It also contains list of words considered unparliamentary in parliaments of Commonwealth countries, they said.
They said the opposition has created a hue and cry about the compilation of unparliamentary words in Parliament. But what is “amusing” is that they have tried to create a storm without knowing the facts, an official said, adding this list is brought out every year.
“Most of these words were considered unparliamentary even during the UPA Government. The booklet is mere compilation of the words not suggestions or order,” the official said.
Some words and expressions are declared unparliamentary from time to time by the Chair in different Legislative bodies in in the country as well as in Commonwealth Parliaments, have been compiled by the Lok Sabha Secretariat for ready reference in the future.
However, the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker will have the last word in expunging words and expressions.
The Monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 18 and continue till August 12.
No words banned, but members should maintain decorum: Lok Sabha Speaker
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said no word has been banned from use in Parliament and members are free to express their views while maintaining decorum of the House.
Birla’s comments came amid a controversy over publication of a booklet by the Lok Sabha Secretariat that listed words such as ‘ashamed’, ‘jumlajeevi’, ‘taanashah’, ‘abused’, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘incompetent’ as unparliamentary expressions.
“No word has been banned. Members are free to express their views. No one can snatch that right, but it should be as per decorum of Parliament,” Birla told reporters even as the Opposition targeted the government, accusing it of listing every word used by them to “describe how BJP was destroying India” as unparliamentary.
Birla said people unaware of parliamentary practices were making all kinds of comments and asserted that legislatures were independent of government.
“It is a routine practice continuing since 1954,” he said referring to the release of the booklet compiling lists of words and expressions deemed unparliamentary.
Birla said words chosen for expunging have been used by members of the ruling party as well as the opposition.
